1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a brake system of a vehicle, and more particularly, to a brake system of a vehicle capable of improving stability and convenience by interlocking a parking brake which is an auxiliary brake with a main brake by a brake pedal, substituting the parking brake for the main brake by just the brake pedal when a main brake body is critically damaged, and operating and releasing the parking brake by just the brake pedal and an accelerator pedal in a so-called stop frequent operation.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a brake system of a vehicle is roughly divided into an operating mechanism and a brake body, with a power transmitting line being formed between the operating mechanism and the brake body to transmit or double an actuating force of the operating mechanism.
Here, the power transmitting line is classified into a hydraulic line and a pneumatic line according to a transmission medium. The hydraulic line includes a master cylinder as an operating medium which generates a hydraulic pressure when a brake pedal is pushed with a foot. The pneumatic line includes a valve assembly as an operating medium which controls a transfer line of a pneumatic pressure when the brake pedal is pushed with a foot.
The conventional art will be explained in detail by taking the brake system including the hydraulic line as an example. FIG. 1 illustrates a brake system of a vehicle with a disk brake, in which a caliper is used as a main brake body 10 and a braking shoe 3 is used as a parking brake body 16.
The conventional brake system is divided into a main brake and a parking brake which is an auxiliary brake. A servomechanism 5 is installed on a hydraulic line 4 of the main brake to increase a leg power on a brake pedal 14.
Meantime, in the auxiliary brake, a lever and a pedal are used as an operating mechanism for braking with an operating force of a cable 18. Illustrated is a parking brake pedal 6 used as the operating mechanism.
The parking brake brakes in a manner that the operating force of the operating mechanism is increased based on a lever principle and thus the brake shoe 3 is compressed.
The parking brake is generally provided with a ratchet for locking to operate operating means and continue the braked state, and with separate ratchet release means to release the locked state according to a users need.
Here, it should be known that the present invention is not restricted to the disk-type brake body or the pedal-type parking brake, and the power transmitting line is not confined to the hydraulic line.
By the way, since the main brake is separated from the auxiliary brake in operation, in an urgent case when the power transmitting line of the main brake is critically damaged, the auxiliary brake is not efficiently operated.
For further detailed explanation, the brake body 10 which is subject to the operation of the main brake as previously discussed is operated in such a fashion that the leg power of the brake pedal 14 is increased through the servomechanism and transmitted to the brake body 10 through the power transmitting line.
If the hydraulic pressure, however, cannot be transmitted since the hydraulic line is critically damaged, the brake body cannot be operated even if the brake pedal 14 is operated. At this time, an engine brake and a parking brake function as substitute brake means.
However, a shocked driver does not retain enough composure to operate the engine brake and the parking brake in general, but just continuously operates the disabled brake pedal, leading to an accident. Ordinary people other than a skilled person find it difficult to use the substitute means for the main brake in a flurry.
In particular, even though the parking brake is useful substitute means capable of performing simple operation and braking, in contrast to the engine brake, the parking brake has not been efficiently used during the urgent situation since the parking brake is separated in operation from the brake pedal 14 which is operated during a drive or while traveling.
Further, the conventional brake system causes inconvenience during a downtown drive in a so-called stop frequent operation since the main brake and the auxiliary brake are separated from each other in operation.
For a more detailed description, there are generally many stop or parking sections during the downtown drive. At each stop operation, the brake pedal 14 should be continuously pushed during a stoppage time, for example, during a stop signal, in order to operate the brake body 10, thereby resulting in inconvenience of the users leg.
In this case, the auxiliary brake is used, such that the parking brake pedal is pushed in a condition that a gear is converted into a neutral mode to operate the parking brake body 16. At a point of starting, a release lever 7 is used to release the operation of the parking brake for starting.
In the so-called stop frequent operations, the parking brake is required to be repeatedly operated, which is inconvenient for the user.
This is because of features of the parking brake, in which the parking brake requires additional locking means to maintain a brake force for continuous parking, in contrast to the main brake whose brake force is automatically released when the user removes his foot from the main brake.
The conventional art, therefore, has a disadvantage of being inconvenient to the user in using both the parking brake and the main brake in the so-called stop frequent operations since the repeated operation of the parking brake and the continuous usage of the main brake are needed in the sections.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a brake system of a vehicle that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a brake system of a vehicle capable of improving stability and convenience by interlocking a parking brake which is an auxiliary brake with a main brake by a brake pedal, substituting the parking brake for the main brake by just the brake pedal when a main brake body is critically damaged, and operating and releasing the parking brake by just the brake pedal and an accelerator pedal in a so-called stop frequent operation.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a brake system of a vehicle including parking brake interlocking means being installed on a pedal assembly of a main brake wherein the parking brake interlocking means is interlocked with a brake pedal so as for the parking brake to be operated in a brake pedal operation rear range beyond a brake pedal operation range during a normal drive condition, locking means for preventing the interlocking means from being returned when the parking brake is operated, and locking control means for releasing the locking of the locking means when an accelerator pedal is operated
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.